Leonard & Hungry Paul Review: A Calming Comedy With Narration from the Famous Actress Brings a Great Antidote to Contemporary Living

In a peaceful area of Dublin, an individual is standing in his driveway, sporting a tank top and sharing his concerns. “It seems like my voice is fading. Harder to see,” remarks the protagonist, staring into the darkness. “Events have unfolded and currently I believe if I don’t do something, my life will proceed in this simple, peaceful routine.” Paul, Leonard’s best and only friend, ponders these words. “That's perfectly fine,” he answers, his dressing gown flapping in the breeze. “Preferable to striving for recognition and causing harm instead.”

For anyone tired by the bluster and rat-tat-tat of modern television landscape, Leonard and Hungry Paul arrives like a cozy wrap and warming mug of a sweet cordial.

Similar to its gentle leads, this comedy – a six-episode comedy developed by the writing duo, based on Rónán Hession’s quiet story – casts a critical eye on contemporary society; looking disapprovingly through its prematurely middle-aged glasses toward anything in the way of loud sounds, abrupt changes or – heaven forfend – an abundance of ambition. The program rather, a tribute to quiet people; a gentle tribute for those happy to pootle around away from attention. However. The character (another distinctly original performance from Alex Lawther) feels restless. He notices an increasing “urge to throw open the doors and windows of my life … a little.” The passing of his beloved mother has whisked the rug out from under him and Leonard, a ghost writer, now feels doubting the decisions that directed him to his current situation (alone; sporting facial hair; writing a range of educational volumes for an employer who signs off messages with the phrase “goodbye for now”).

Therefore Leonard launches on a journey for personal satisfaction, accompanied by the somewhat braver Paul (the actor) acting as his confidante, guide and ally in a weekly game night that serves both as discussion (“Does the pool feel warm due to children urinating, or do kids pee in it as it's heated?”) and refuge.

(What's the origin of "Hungry" Paul? The reason is unknown. The source of the nickname seems forgotten in mystery. Perhaps Paul once ate some food in record time, or responded to a tense moment by hastily opening some food items using his teeth).

Into Leonard’s gentle world comes Shelley (Jamie-Lee O’Donnell), a new lively co-worker who cheerily offers to get rid of Leonard’s appalling boss (the actor) at a fire practice. That whooshing sound audible represents Leonard's calm life undergoing a shake-up.

In other scenes during the opening installment of a series not heavily plotted and centered around what younger viewers could describe as “mood”, we meet Hungry Paul’s dad (the ever-wonderful the performer), a tired character who covertly observes, tapes and rewatches daytime quiz shows to dazzle his loving spouse with his general knowledge.

Shepherding us throughout this gentle kindness is a narrator that is unmistakably – and, indeed, very much is – the famous actress. Yes, the celebrity. Should you wonder, “undoubtedly the use of a big-name celebrity is at odds with the show's modest approach and at first acts merely as a distraction?” that's accurate. Still, Roberts does a good job, and phrases for example “The issue with Leonard is the missing an expression of discovery” contribute to ensuring that early misgivings yield if not full admiration, then at minimum tolerance.

No more criticism currently. Leonard and Hungry Paul’s heart is in the right place: which is “sitting on a park bench in the company of gentle comedies, showing the duck it loves.” It’s a series that moves gently wearing its simple clothes, at times staring into space, occasionally down at its slippers, calmly assured that no experience is in the world as uplifting as passing time with close companions.

Open the doors and windows in your existence, a little, and welcome it inside.